Clock regulation apparatus and circuit arrangement

• US 20050110545A1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Mahrla, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,245,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/10 Distribution of clock signals , e.g. skew
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations

Abstract

Clock regulation apparatus for preventing a logic switching mechanism from operating incorrectly. The apparatus has a supply voltage input that receives a supply voltage, which is also applied to the logic switching mechanism, a comparison unit that outputs an error signal if the supply voltage value drops below a reference value, a clock signal input that receives a clock signal from a clock generator, and a clock suppression unit, which is coupled to the clock signal input and to the comparison unit, that has a clock output for outputting the clock signal and that suppresses or delays the clock signal for a duration of at least one clock period if the error signal exists.

Claims

1. A clock regulation apparatus for preventing a logic switching mechanism from operating incorrectly, comprising:

a supply voltage input that receives a supply voltage, which is also applied to the logic switching mechanism;

a comparison unit that outputs an error signal if the supply voltage value drops below a reference value;

a clock signal input that receives a clock signal from a clock generator; and

a clock suppression unit, which is coupled to the clock signal input and to the comparison unit, that has a clock output for outputting the clock signal and that suppresses or delays the clock signal for a duration of at least one clock period if the error signal exists.

2. The clock regulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a reference voltage input, which is coupled to the comparison unit,

wherein the comparison unit outputs an error signal if the supply voltage value drops below a value for a reference voltage.

3. The clock regulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the comparison unit has a reference switching mechanism containing combinational logic, and outputs an error signal if a propagation time for a test signal through the reference switching mechanism is greater than a prescribed reference propagation time.

4. The clock regulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clock suppression unit suppresses the clock signal for every, at least second clock period on a basis of the error signal.

5. The clock regulation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the comparison unit is actuated using an operating clock signal, and the clock frequency of the operating clock signal is higher than the clock frequency of the clock signal.

6. A circuit arrangement comprising:

a logic switching mechanism; and

at least one clock regulation apparatus comprising;

a supply voltage input that receives a supply voltage, which is also applied to the logic switching mechanism;

a comparison unit that outputs an error signal if the supply voltage drops below a reference value;

a clock signal input that receives a clock signal from a clock generator; and

a clock suppression unit, which is coupled to the clock signal input and to the comparison unit, that has a clock output for outputting the clock signal and that suppresses or delays the clock signal for a duration of at least one clock period if the error signal exists,

wherein at least one functional unit in the logic switching mechanism is coupled to the clock output of the clock regulation apparatus.

7. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the supply voltage input is coupled to a measurement point in the logic switching mechanism.

8. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, further comprising at least one data storage that stores the error signal.

9. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, further comprising at least one first functional unit and a second functional unit, which is independent of the first functional unit,

wherein a first clock regulation apparatus of the at least one clock regulation apparatus is coupled to the first functional unit, and a second clock regulation apparatus of the at least one clock regulation apparatus is coupled to the second functional unit.

10. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the clock generator is coupled to the second clock regulation apparatus.

11. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an operating controller for the clock regulation apparatus, wherein the clock generator uses a control signal as a basis for generating clock signals having at least two different clock frequencies, and the clock regulation apparatus is operated only if the clock frequency provided by the clock generator is greater than a reference frequency.

12. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the clock suppression unit suppresses the clock signal for every, at least second clock period on a basis of the error signal.

13. A clock regulation apparatus for preventing a logic switching mechanism from operating incorrectly, comprising:

a supply voltage input means for receiving a supply voltage, which is applied to the logic switching mechanism;

a comparison means for outputting an error signal if the supply voltage value drops below a reference value;

a clock signal input means that receives a clock signal from a clock generating means; and

a clock suppression means, which is coupled to the clock generating means and to the comparison means, that has a clock output means for outputting the clock signal, for suppressing or delaying the clock signal for a duration of at least one clock period if the error signal exists.

14. The clock regulation apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a reference voltage input means, which is coupled to the comparison means, wherein the comparison means outputs an error signal if the supply voltage value drops below a value for a reference voltage.

15. The clock regulation apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the comparison means has a reference switching means containing combinational logic, and outputs an error signal if a propagation time for a test signal through the reference switching means is greater than a prescribed reference propagation time.

16. The clock regulation apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the clock suppression means suppresses the clock signal for every, at least second clock period on a basis of the error signal.

17. The clock regulation apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the comparison means is actuated using an operating clock signal, and the clock frequency of the operating clock signal is higher than the clock frequency of the clock signal.

18. A circuit arrangement comprising:

a logic switching means; and

at least one clock regulation apparatus comprising;

a supply voltage input means for receiving a supply voltage, which is also applied to the logic switching means;

a comparison means for outputting an error signal if the supply voltage drops below a reference value;

a clock signal input means that receives a clock signal from a clock generating means; and

a clock suppression means, which is coupled to the clock generating means and to the comparison means, that has a clock output means for outputting the clock signal, for suppressing or delaying the clock signal for a duration of at least one clock period if the error signal exists,

wherein at least one functional means in the logic switching means is coupled to the clock output means of the clock regulation apparatus.

19. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the supply voltage input means is coupled to a measurement point in the logic switching means.

20. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 18, further comprising at least one data storage means for storing the error signal.

21. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 18, further comprising at least one first functional means and a second functional means, which is independent of the first functional means,

wherein a first clock regulation apparatus of the at least one clock regulation apparatus is coupled to the first functional means, and a second clock regulation apparatus of the at least one clock regulation apparatus is coupled to the second functional means.

22. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 21, wherein the clock generating means is coupled to the second clock regulation apparatus.

23. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an operating controlling means for the clock regulation apparatus, wherein the clock generating means uses a control signal as a basis for generating clock signals having at least two different clock frequencies, and the clock regulation apparatus is operated only if the clock frequency provided by the clock generating means is greater than a reference frequency.

24. The circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the clock suppression means suppresses the clock signal for every, at least second clock period on a basis of the error signal.